Title: National Society of Black Engineers NSBE Houston Space Chapter
1National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
Houston Space Chapter
NSBESAT 2 Ground-based Interferometric Telescope
Research
2Macho Mengi Many Eyes NSBESAT 2 Ground-based
Interferometric Telescope Research
Project Overview
- Introduction
- Background
- Goals and Objectives
- Project Design Concept
- Project Scope
- Funding
- Macho Mengi Project Team
- (Roles and Responsibilities handout)
- Questions and Comments
3Background
- NSBE's small satellites projects is for NSBE
members to gain first hand experience at
designing, building, and operating satellites.
-
- Phase I
- NSBESAT 1 Single space telescope
- Phase II
- NSBESAT 2 Formation of space telescopes that use
interferometry to act as one large space
telescope.
4- Why space telescopes?
- Gives our Community direct access to the Space
Program
- Specifically target
- Communities
- Grade Schools
- Universities
- Astronomers and Astrophysicist
- Whats so interesting about space?
5Telescope Technology
James Webb
Basic Telescope
Observatory
Hubble
MOST
Multi-Satellite Telescope
6Basic Operation
7Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI)
8- Interferometry A technique of collecting light
from several
- telescopes and combining them to reveal details
much
- smaller than those visible by a single
telescope.
- Light beams from each telescope, corrected for
atmospheric turbulence, are brought together and
combined.
- Computers process data from light sensors to form
an image similar to that which would be obtained
using a larger telescope than the individual
ones.
9(No Transcript)
10(No Transcript)
11Simple Long-Baseline Interferometer
Star
Star Light
Delay B sin?
90º
Telescope 2
Telescope 1
Baseline B
?
Computer Image reconstruction
Optical Delay Line
Beam combiner
Original image shows Fringes
12(No Transcript)
13(No Transcript)
14Angular Resolution
- Angular resolution describes the resolving power
of any image-forming device (optical or radio
telescope, microscopes, cameras, or an eye).
- The term resolution or minimum resolvable
distance is the minimum distance between
distinguishable objects in an image.
The angular resolution R can usually be
approximated by
Single telescope case
Telescope array case
? wavelength of the observed radiation D di
ameter of the telescope's mirror or lens.
B length of separation of the telescopes in the
array (baseline).
15Angular Resolution(Calculated examples)
Wavelength 580 nm - yellow light
.001 arcsecond -- Equivalent to resolving a
target 2 meters (6.6 ft) across at the distance
between the Earth and Moon.
16Project Goals and Objectives
- ? Our primary goal Have a minimum of three NSBE
members with the necessary experience to become
subject matter experts to contribute with the
development of NSBESAT 2. - - Our objective Have a complete and working
small ground-based interferometric telescope to
be used as a proof of concept prototype and
training tool for NSBESAT 2.
17Project Design Concept
18Macho Mengi
- Requirements
- Four reflective telescopes
- Transportable
- Moveable baselines and formations
- Stable
- Configured for visible light
- Design
- Similar to COAST interferometer
19COAST Interferometer Testbed Univ. of Cambridge
Built 1988
20COAST Beam Combining Table
21(No Transcript)
22(No Transcript)
23(No Transcript)
24Image reconstructions of Capella, from
data obtained on the nights of the 13th (a) and
28th (b) September 1995.
25(No Transcript)
26Project Scope
27Funding
- ? Funding Authority for this project shall be in
accordance with the existing chapter bylaws of
the NSBE Houston Space Chapter.
- The bulk of our financing should come from
corporate sponsors, donors, and federal grants.
- Once we have a better idea of our design and
specifications - receiving donated equipment
would be our best bet.
28Funding Donated Equipment
- Key Philosophy Linking Needs with Benefits
- We are not looking for "junk", but sometimes
companies are willing to donate some of their
latest products for key benefits
- Free Advertising at Major Events
- Tax write-offs NSBE HSC is a 501(c) non-profit
organization
- Free testing
- The process can be as simple as reporting to them
how well their product performed under real world
conditions.
- Companies may be more willing to donate
components out of their manufactured surplus
rather than giving cash.
- The value of donated components may far exceed
whatever they would have given in actual
dollars.
29See Handout for Roles and Responsibilities
30Macho Mengi Team
Dr. Robert Howard Consultant Michael McCul
lar
Project Director
- Kevin Calvin
- Optics Director
- Chemuttaai Langat
- Mechanical engineer
- Darnell Cowan
- Acting Mechanical Director
Visit NSBEs Houston Space Chapter Homepage
http//www.nsbe-hsc.org
31Questions?